Dead in NYC – Proof That People Win Stuff

Dead in NYC – Proof That People Win Stuff

At least we know the Grateful Dead actually give stuff away as promised – I received this from a friend of a family member who won seats to see Weir, Lesh and Haynes play an intimate acoustic set at the Angel Orensanz Center on the Lower East Side, the first of three free shows done for fans who won an online lottery. It’s the same place Patty Griffin played in early 2007 to celebrate the release of Children Running Free, later documented on an Artists Den show.

At 5 p.m. the men did a rare acoustic-trio set at the intimate Angel Orensanz, a former synagogue on the Lower East Side. The show focused on American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead classics like “Dire Wolf,” “Cumberland Blues” and “Casey Jones,” but the highlight was a largely instrumental, 20-minute version of “Bird Song,” the three men weaving guitar lines in and around each other.

Sounds stunning, wish I was there. Here’s what my sister’s friend had to say about the experience:

Ok people, heads, and those of you who I know would appreciate, here’s how the story went……

Friday night my friend (thanks Jim Cox) sent me a link to win free Dead tix to some shows they are doing to loyal fans for free, yada yada yada….yea, right, I never win stuff, but what the hell. There was like a 20 minute window left to fill this thing out. So I took 2 minutes and did it.

Saturday morning I got an email that said I WON. Yea right, it must be a scam!! The online form had you chose a friend to go with you, so I am like “who would be crazy enough and able to do this? Joy of course” So I forward this email to Joy and say…hey look I won us tickets! ha ha h a!! And I left for santa cruz to look for some surf. .

I am sitting on the beach, depressed it is flat as a pancake, and Joy calls and say “ummm, yea we need to go to this.”

SO, I got on a redeye Sunday night, Joy and I met in Manhattan, the acoustic set was UNREAL, so intimate, it was like Bobby was sitting in my lap!! (hello, you know I would love that…even if he does look like he is a hundred ys old!). I could hear his foot-a-tappin and the crowd was unusually silenced…..I don’t mean to be “woo wooo” but it was magical. Maybe b/c it was in an old synagogue? Phil was totally “on” with his fancy bass and Warren fit perfectly, in my opinion!!! Flew out to Chicago after the show, and woke up to bday breakfast with my mom and flew back to CA!

Author

Michael is the primary music and comedy writer for the Hippo, New Hampshire's largest alt-weekly; Michael contributes reviews of current CDs and DVDs, covers concerts large and small, and writes stories about the area music scene. He's a prescient observer of the trends making every word, note and image "local" entertainment. Michael wrote the weekly "Local Rhythms" column for three New Hampshire/Vermont papers: the Eagle Times (Claremont), Connecticut Valley Spectator (Lebanon) and the online Message for the Week (Chester, Vermont) before their abrupt closing on 9 July 2009. He later wrote Local Rhythms for the Compass in Claremont.
Email:mwitthaus@gmail.com